The Link Between Us
by InuSlave
Summary: Having a baby is supposed to be a joyful occasion. But what if it is the child of a demon? Kagome's secret can't stay hidden forever. Rated PG13 for language and content.
1. Default Chapter

[Author's Note:]

This subject came up once in an Inuyasha discussion. I was so tickled by the idea of Kagome having a child by Sesshoumaru, that I felt inclined to write a fanfic about it. Tell me what you guys think about this chapter and I'll try to change the story, as much as possible, accordingly. Anyway, hope you enjoy the first chapter!! Oh, and don't be disappointed if Sesshoumaru is a bit… uncharacteristic. ^_^

The stars were scattered in indigo, infinite in number, unmatchable in beauty. The land that lie beneath the night sky was cool and damp from the late afternoon shower. Kagome stood alone, staring up at the dark heavens. She held her shoulders and shivered slightly from the breeze that carried past, rippling her skirt and her ebon hair. The crescent moon illuminated her bright eyes and bathed her in a soft light. She glanced back at the dying fire, flickering near their camp where the others lie in slumber. But Kagome could not sleep that night. It was not often she could have these moments with herself. She loved her friends, of course, but sometimes she needed time alone. She closed her eyes and let the subtle wind envelop her. She was so lost, she never heard the footsteps of another coming toward her.

Kagome jumped and let out a quiet yelp when she felt the cold hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Sesshoumaru standing next to her. He was looking up at the sky, a thin, yet thoughtful smile spread across his mouth. 

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" He said, referring to the stars, his gaze not wavering, his voice stiff and emotionless.

"Y…Yes." Kagome answered, a bit taken aback by his pleasantness. 

Her heart pace quickened and her breaths became heavier as she felt his grip tighten around her delicate shoulder. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable. 

"Why are you here?" She questioned, her voice quivering faintly.

He let out a weak laugh, and was still staring at the heavens. He said matter-of-factly, "Ha. I should think that answer would be fairly obvious-" 

The youkai* was interrupted by the rustling of shrubs behind them. Sesshoumaru and Kagome both turned around to see who had intruded. Soon, Miroku's form came into view as he approached the two. In his arms was a small girl who had seen no more than three or four winters. She clung to Miroku's robes and rubbed her dark eyes sleepily. Her long silver hair was tousled and messy from sleep and her demonic ears twitched in the cool night air. She yawned and rested her head in Miroku-sama's chest. 

Then the monk spoke. "Well, would you look who it is? We haven't seen you in years. To what do we owe the pleasure? Tell me now, or be prepared to face the shakujou**"

Miroku asked, his rock-hard frown never leaving the demon in front of him. In his right hand he clutched his staff firmer, the left still holding the girl. 

Then to everyone's surprise, the youkai suddenly threw back his head and laughed heartily. His laugh was eerie with a tinge of coldness. Miroku cocked an eyebrow, and Kagome scratched her head in confusion. 

"My dear Holy Man, why do you think I am always here to cause trouble?" Sesshoumaru said, appearing to be greatly amused. 

"Because you always do." Miroku answered, not swayed by Sesshoumaru's act. "Just tell us why you're here. What do you want from us?" 

Then the little girl lifted her head up, roused by the vibrations from the talking in Miroku's chest. She looked first at Kagome, then to Sesshoumaru. Her eyes brightened when she saw the demon, and she giggled. She extended her arms out to their full length, reaching for Sesshoumaru, until Miroku set her down. She ran toward Sesshoumaru, her arms outstretched. He bent down and lifted her off the ground and into his arms. Miroku tried to stop him, but was held back by Kagome, her hands wrapped tightly around his arm. She had a strange look in her eyes that he didn't quite understand. He looked at her questionably.

Sesshoumaru embraced the little girl and petted her beautiful silver hair with his coarse hand. He brought his face close to hers and nuzzled her gently as he answered Miroku, his voice barely above a whisper. "…My daughter,"

[Chapter 1 Vocabulary Guide:]

* youkai - a 100% full demon, like Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha is only half demon, making him a hanyou.

** shakujou - the staff Miroku always carries.


	2. Chapter 2

[Authors Note:]

There's been a lot of questions already, but don't worry. They'll all be answered in time. But while your waiting, please keep sending in your reviews! I love hearing from you guys!!! ^_^ And, no, Miroku does not know. No one does. Kagome had been hiding it for quite some time. But I'll explain that later.

Miroku blinked. "Daughter? You mean… you're Kaia's father?" He leaned his weight on his staff to keep from falling over from amazement.

"Kaia…" Sesshoumaru tried it for the first time. He let the name fall out of his mouth, long, slow, and rich. Kaia had wrapped her arms tightly around her father's neck. He held her close to his chest. He could feel her warmth and her tiny heart beating against his. 

He spoke, to no one in particular, "When I first learned of her existence, I could not accept the thought of having a daughter, but now that I see how beautiful she is…" he smiled warmly down at Kaia, who had fallen asleep. "I never would have known I could care for a hanyou* so dearly."

"Wait, wait, wait. Kaia is only half demon?" Miroku frowned in confusion. He scratched his head. "Then… who is her mother?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled dryly again. "Why, haven't you guessed?" He glanced toward Kagome, who had been silent up until this point, her gaze planted firmly on the ground, a sick look on her face. "Kagome," the youkai spoke. "Kaia has your eyes."

[AN: Ok, flashback time. Confused yet? ^_^]

The small creature smirked, his face and body covered by shadows. Only his wicked teeth shone in the dull, restricted light. His eyes were fixed in a glare. A cackle was emitted from his beak-like mouth, a cackle which echoed loudly through the underground cavern. He stood, staring at the girl, his hands gripping his crude walking stick. A bandage was carefully wrapped round his side, and he took a moment to rub it gingerly. 

"Not so tough without your bow and arrows, now are ye?" His high pitched voice pierced the silence. 

Not soon after, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming closer. Then a demon entered the room, his silver hair swaying as he walked. His fists were clenched and he snarled, showing his long fang-like teeth. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, back so soon?" the small creature spoke, turning his head away from the girl to look upon his master. "Has Inuyasha come yet?" 

Sesshoumaru walked up to the tiny creature and smacked him violently in the face with the back of his hand. "No Jaken, you idiot." he said, irritated. "If he hasn't come to retrieve the girl yet, he probably doesn't care. I'm beginning to think we have no use for her anymore."

He put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. He bent down and checked the kneeling girl's ropes to make sure they still bound her hands and ankles tightly. He touched the ropes which tied her wrists, and his skin grazed hers as he did so. He had to pause and catch his breath when he noticed how soft and warm her hand was. His face was also dangerously close to hers and her sweet scent was strongly overpowering his nostrils. His instincts began to kick in and he felt akward near her.

"My Lord, are you ok?" Jaken noticed Sesshoumaru having trouble.

"Shut up, Jaken." He tried to sound nonchalant. His breaths quickened and his heart raced as he inhaled her. He deliberately stood and walked away from her until he could smell her no more. This had been happening to him for the past few days since they kidnapped her, each day her scent became sharper, and he was loosing control. This annoyed him greatly and he tried his best to ignore it. 

"Jaken," he said as his heart pace returned to normal. "Go out to the mouth of the cave and watch for my brother. We're not giving up just yet." 

Jaken hobbled up to the cave opening, leaving Sesshoumaru to pace the cavern floor. Each footstep left an empty echo, traveling far off into the stone walls around them. 

"Don't worry, he will come for me," The girl spoke defiantly, her voice was horse from screaming.

"Kagome, do not speak unless spoken to." The pacing demon warned her harshly. 

She rose her voice a bit louder, "I know he will. Inuyasha always comes for me."

"Kagome -" He said more strictly.

She ignored him, her voice now almost yelling. "Not only that, but he always kicks your sorry ass."

Sesshoumaru deliberately ambled up to the sitting girl and grabbed her by the shoulder lifting her up to her feet. He brought his face only inches away from her own. Her aroma was nearly overwhelming him. "If you dare speak one more time, so help me…" There was a moment of silence, and then:

"You bastard."

"DAMNIT!" The demon grabbed her roughly by a chunk of her long black hair and threw her forcefully to the ground. He stared at her lying there on the ground and he couldn't take it anymore. His instincts were taking over him. Finally, he totally lost control. He wanted Kagome. He wanted to make her his right that moment. 

Up above ground, Jaken could hear the faint sound of Kagome's agonizing screams. He turned and stared at the mouth of the cave. He sighed to himself and shook his head. 

[Chapter 2 Vocabulary Guide]

* hanyou - a half demon, like Inuyasha.


	3. Chapter 3

[Author's Note:]

This chapter is another flashback which takes place after the last chapter, but before the first one. Fuuh... had a tough time with this chapter. Writers Block sucks!!! But keep reviewing, please! Thanks!!! ^_^

The sun shone down brightly through the cloudless sky, warming the docile earth under it. It was a mesmeric day, the perfect day to do nothing. Inuyasha lay on his back in the warm, inviting grass. His hands were tucked behind his head and his hazel eyes were shut. His beautiful hair gleamed in the sunlight, swept back behind him like a sea of silver, moving only slightly when the hanyou inhaled. Miroku and Sango lie nearby, much in the same position as Inuyasha. Miroku gazed at his right hand which contained the Wind Tunnel, and Sango absent-mindedly stroked a sleeping Kirara lying on her stomach. They stayed in silence for a long time, and then:

"Do you think… things would have ended up differently if I would have acted sooner?" Sango questioned, her voice dull and mono-toned. She was referring to a winged demon the group had fought a few days prior but they had failed to defeat it. 

"There was no way you could have. That demon flew way too fast and way too high, even for your Hiraikotsu*. There was nothing else any of us could have done." Miroku answered reassuringly, not taking his eyes off his right hand. 

Sango sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But I was just thinking that maybe…" She stopped herself abruptly and cleared her throat. "Never mind. It's not important." she mumbled.

"You thought what, Sango-san?" Inuyasha said firmly, opening his eyes half way. 

"Well…" she began hesitantly. "Maybe if Kagome were here, you know, she might have used her bow and arrows… But it's not major. It was just a thought."

"Kagome." Inuyasha whispered under his breath, breathing in deeply as he said her name. She had been gone a long period of time, and in that time, the group had not vanquished even half of the demons as they would have if Kagome were with them. Just by being there, she was their optimism, their spirit, their hope. And without her, they couldn't fight nearly as well.

Inuyasha rolled over on his side as he pulled something out of his kimono so the others wouldn't see. He fingered the small folded paper he had pulled out a minute before opening it to reveal one of Kagome's school pictures. He turned the picture around in his hands and gazed at her shining smile and bright eyes. A small smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"How often do you look at that thing?" Miroku asked, now sitting up, looking over Inuyasha's shoulder. 

Inuyasha was faintly startled by the interruption, and embarrassed that he was caught. "Only when I miss her." He answered thoughtfully, more to himself than to Miroku. 

The picture had become worn and faded. All the color was nearly gone, the corners were dog-eared, and a large crease occupied the middle of the paper. It was ripped in several places. But Inuyasha looked at it as if it were brand new. 

"Cheer up, Inuyasha. It's not so bad." Sango was now on her stomach, her hands supporting her chin. Kirara was lying beside her. "We've gotten along for a year or so without her. We can wait a little longer. She did say she'd be back."

"Yeah," Inuyasha clumsily shoved the picture back into his kimono and rolled over onto his back. He thoughts diverted to the day Kagome left. "She did say that. But I still don't understand why she left that day in the first place."

Miroku twirled a blade of grass in his fingers. "Well, you were a bit rude to her after you rescued her from your brother's cave. She went through a lot and, excuse me, but you treated her like shit." 

Inuyasha became defensive. "You think it was my fault she left?! She was the one who was being bitchy about every little thing after I risked my own life to save hers. She wasn't even grateful! She deserved to be treated like that!!"

"Osuwari**!!"

There was a long silence. Miroku and Inuyasha both blinked and turned to stare at Sango, not quite sure what to say.

"Sorry…" she blushed. "It seemed like the right thing to say."

Miroku chuckled, dismissing the tension felt a moment ago. "I guess we all miss Kagome a little more than we thought."

They all sighed in unison and went back to their own silent thoughts, giving Inuyasha time to cool off. He closed his eyes again and his mind drifted. A year is much to long to be gone, he thought; much too long. He really didn't mean the things he said to her that day. That was just his personality getting the best of him. "She shouldn't have taken me so seriously." He replayed the scene in his mind over and over, each time hurt more.

Then, about twenty minutes later, Inuyasha's sensitive, velvet demon ears began to twitch and swivel from side to side. He could hear a sound coming closer, a sound that was strangely familiar. He couldn't quite figure out what it was. Then suddenly his eyes shot open. "Kagome!!" He exclaimed eagerly. Miroku and Sango exchanged puzzled glances with each other, not sure what he meant. Before he had a chance to explain to them, Inuyasha jumped to his feet and took off running in the other direction. Miroku and Sango got up and followed, still confused. They ran a few feet before they could hear it too.

"That's Kagome-chan's bike!" Sango said excitedly. Miroku nodded, hearing it too.

Inuyasha saw her first, appearing out of the horizon peddling on her bike. His footfalls quickened toward her, a smile spreading from ear to ear. Kagome saw him too and waved ecstatically. He almost reached her, when he noticed she was holding something in her arms. He stopped short and his smile faded. Kagome stopped her bike and put out the kick stand. She approached Inuyasha cautiously, not quite sure what to say. Inuyasha looked perplexed as he stared at the bundle she carried. Then it squirmed and turned around, so Inuyasha could see that it was a small child. 

He gasped. "WHA…WHAT THE HELL IS THAT???" he pointed at the child. 

"Well, hello to you too." Kagome glared, slightly annoyed. 

Miroku and Sango came up behind Inuyasha, catching their breaths. 

"Kagome!" Sango smiled and went to embrace her. Miroku did the same. 

"And who is this?" Miroku, surprised, asked about the baby Kagome was holding. 

"Umm… It's a child. I found her." She looked away a little nervously, as she tucked a piece of unruly hair behind her ear. 

"You found it?! Where did you find it?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Well, on my way here, I passed a village that had been attacked. No one was left alive except…" She paused. "Except her." she mumbled quickly through the story hoping they would believe it. 

Inuyasha grimaced at the child. "It's pretty ugly if you ask me." 

Kagome instinctively became protective, bringing the bundle closer to her body. "Well, no one asked you, baka***! And stop saying "it". It's a HER and HER name is Kaia!" she was nearly shouting at him.

"Here we go again." Miroku said to Sango under his breath. 

"Well it is!" Inuyasha shouted back. "I mean, look at those ears!" The blanket had fallen from Kaia's head, exposing her demon-like ears, which were extremely over-sized for her small head.

"Hmm, those are interesting." Miroku said pensively, as he gently touched one of the demonic ears. "Do you think she might be part demon, Kagome?"

Kagome felt sick at this question. She hated lying to her friends. But it was the only way. They could never find out the truth. 

"Yeah… the thought crossed my mind." 

[Chapter 3 Vocabulary Guide:]

* Hiraikotsu - Sango's large boomerang she uses as a weapon.

** osuwari - sit. This is the command Kagome uses to "dicipline" Inuyasha.

*** baka - idiot, moron, etc. 


End file.
